1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wireless coupling in information systems and, in particular, to wireless coupling of standardized information devices to both standardized and non-standardized information devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless coupling of information devices has been described in a number of publications. For example, published PCT Application Number WO 97/29605 describes a wireless virtual Local Area Network (LAN) which enables workgroup membership to be redefined without physical wiring changes. This is particularly useful, for example, to facilitate communication between remotely-located LANs and to permit ad hoc networking between a group of portable computers.
Such known wireless coupling arrangements are very useful, but they are limited to the coupling of standardized information devices, i.e. information devices that are adapted to communicate with each other in accordance with a common standard. A typical example is a network of computers that are adapted for communication over a common information bus. There are also, however, many other applications where it is desirable to establish wireless communications between standardized information devices and non-standardized information devices, i.e. information devices that are not adapted to communicate in accordance with a common standard. Non-standardized information devices include both standard-capable information devices, such as computers that have not been adapted to communicate in accordance with commonly-used standard, and standard-incapable information devices which do not have sufficient intelligence to be so adapted. Examples of typical standard-incapable information devices with which wireless communications are of particular interest are security apparatus, audio and video equipment telephone equipment etc. Although it is possible to provide each non-standardized information device in a system with sufficient hardware to enable it to communicate in accordance with a common standard, this is an expensive and often impractical solution. It would require substantial modification of every non-standardized information device in the system.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/093,212, filed concurrently with the present application, which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a method and application for wireless coupling of standardized nodes and non-standardized nodes. It is also desirable, however, to effect wireless coupling of standardized networks to combinations of non-standardized nodes and other standardized networks.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for enabling economical wireless communication between standardized networks and combinations of non-standardized nodes and other standardized networks. As used herein:
xe2x80x9cnodexe2x80x9d means any device that is capable of producing, processing or utilizing information;
xe2x80x9cstandardized nodexe2x80x9d means a node that is adapted for communicating with other nodes in accordance with a common standard;
xe2x80x9cstandardized networkxe2x80x9d means at least one standardized node coupled to a bus for communication with other standardized nodes;
xe2x80x9cnon-standardized nodexe2x80x9d means a node that is not adapted for communicating with other nodes in accordance with a common standard;
xe2x80x9cwireless communicationxe2x80x9d means communicating information via any energy propagation mode which is feasible for the information being communicated, including, for example, radio frequency (RF), infra-red (IR), and sonic energy propagation modes.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus which automatically adapts to the addition and removal of both standardized and non-standardized nodes from a wireless communication system.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus which facilitates wireless coupling of standardized networks operating in accordance with different standards.
In a method in accordance with the invention, wireless communication in a system including a plurality of standardized networks and at least one non-standardized node is achieved by, for each standardized network:
establishing an associated virtual network including a respective virtual node representing each other standardized network and each non-standardized node;
communicating information between each other standardized network and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with the other standardized network;
communicating information between each non-standardized node and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with the non-standardized node;
communicating information between each virtual node and the associated standardized network in a communication format/protocol compatible with the associated standardized network.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention, a wireless information system is formed which includes:
at least one non-standardized node having a transceiver for wireless communication;
a plurality of standardized networks, each including;
a local bus for carrying communications between any standardized nodes that are connected to the bus;
a local wireless station including a transceiver for wireless communication with the at least one non-standardized node;
a local virtual network coupled to the local bus and to the local wireless station and including a controller and a memory for cooperatively:
establishing in the memory a virtual node representing each other standardized network and each non-standardized node;
communicating information between each other standardized network and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with said other standardized network;
communicating information between each said non-standardized node and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with said non-standardized node;
communicating information between each said virtual node and the local standardized network in a communication format/protocol compatible with said local standardized network.